WEST WORCESTERSHIRE MP Harriett Baldwin has this week repeated her call on train company Great Western Railway to deliver on its promises to county commuters for improved services.
Harriett’s comments follow a formal response from the company to a local meeting in Pershore to discuss the future of the town’s station.
Despite making pledges to deliver faster, more frequent services as part of its franchise extension in 2015, the promises have not been delivered.
In addition, local plans to improve the station’s car park have been thwarted by spiraling costs to build a connecting bridge over the train tracks.
Harriett commented: “Pershore’s train station is an important local resource and with more new house building, we can expect to see more demand for train services over coming years.
“I have fully supported the plans to complete the dualling of the track between Pershore and Worcester to allow faster trains but Great Western Railway did pledge a quicker service for county commuters to and from London and I see no evidence of that.
“I have been increasingly frustrated by both the rail operator and Network Rail which seem to put obstacles up wherever we look as we work to improve Pershore’s station and services.
“We need a franchise operator who is committed to delivering the best possible service for local people – including those living in and around Pershore – and as we look towards the requirements for a new Cotswold Line franchise I hope that ‘keeping promises’ will be top of that list.”